NEW YORK, NY, April 26, 2022 – AMC Networks announced today that it is turning its AMC+ streaming service into a destination for exclusive film premieres direct from theaters all year long. New movies will be released every Friday, featuring an expanding array of titles from leading distributors IFC Films, IFC Midnight, RLJE Films and Shudder, all sister businesses of AMC+. The new subscriber benefit kicks off on Friday, May 6 with the streaming premiere of Clean from IFC Films, starring Oscar-winner Adrien Brody.

Helping to power the Friday night movie slate is a new agreement with AMC Networks Film Group (IFC Films, IFC Midnight and RLJE Films) through which AMC+ will be the exclusive streaming home of the company’s full slate of films following theatrical and digital distribution, 90 days after release. Known as the so-called “Pay 1” window, most of the Friday films on AMC+ will stream 90 days after their initial theatrical release, with select titles premiering day-and-date in theaters and on AMC+. The last Friday of the month will be branded “The Final Friday” and devoted to a new horror film from the premiere genre distributor Shudder, which will also continue to acquire select titles in partnership with IFC Films and RLJE Films.

IFC Films has long been a leader in film distribution to consumers and pioneered the day-and-date video on demand (VOD) model that brought new release films to paying customers in their homes on the same day they were made available in theaters, among other leadership positions in the industry. This agreement with AMC+ represents another step forward in expanding access to independent films to new audiences.

IFC Films and its sister businesses within AMC Networks continued their leading presence at major film festivals at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, buying a total of seven films, more than any other distributor. This was followed with another seven films acquired at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. The purchases represent the most aggressive and diverse slate of acquisitions by a single distributor in years, showcasing an array of genres with an eclectic mix of critical and audience favorites – with all 14 films eventually bound for AMC+ through this new agreement and expanded movie distribution through the streamer.

Late last year, AMC+ experimented with exclusive streaming premieres every Friday in the month of November and into December, to great success. The initiative resulted in the three most-watched films on AMC+ last year, led by the breakout dark holiday feature Silent Night from RLJE Films, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode. The slate outperformed popular library title movies in both viewership and acquisition, with user engagement ranking among even the top original series on AMC+.

“AMC+ subscribers love great storytelling. From heart-pounding thrillers to heartfelt character studies, our members enjoy discovering and recommending the latest in television and film – as evidenced by tremendous engagement we saw around our Friday night film releases last year,” said Courtney Thomasma, general manager of AMC+. “Expanding our film offering was the next logical step in continuing to serve and grow our audience. The combination of an unbeatable weekly line-up of exclusive new movies from IFC Films, RLJE Films and Shudder, plus the biggest year for original programming in our company’s history, provides an incredible array of entertainment and value for our streaming subscribers.”

“We are thrilled to make AMC+ the exclusive streaming destination for the award-winning slate of movies from IFC Films and IFC Midnight,” said Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Films. “For over two decades, IFC Films has lead the industry in developing diversified distribution strategies for independent cinema, bringing audiences the best in global and American independent film. We are proud to continue this history of innovation and give audiences more ways to discover our incredible library on AMC+.”

Upcoming Friday night movies on AMC+ are:

May 6, Clean, a crime drama starring Oscar-winner Adrien Brody and RZA. A garbage collector (Brody) is sucked into the orbit of a local crime boss and must face the violence of his past to find redemption in this bloody thrill ride. Brody served as the co-writer of the film and composed the score.
May 13, Catch the Fair One, a revenge thriller starring Spirt Award nominee and boxing champion Kali Reis that is currently 94% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The film from director Josef Kubota Wladyka follows a Native American boxer who embarks on the fight of her life when she goes in search of her missing sister. It is produced by Oscar winner Mollye Asher (Nomadland) and executive produced by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler).

May 20, Dual, writer/director Riley Stearns’ latest release from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, starring Karen Gillan (Doctor Who) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). A woman opts for a cloning procedure after she receives a terminal diagnosis. Following an unexpected recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail, leading to a court-mandated duel to the death. This title is appearing on AMC+ just 35 days after its theatrical release by RLJE Films.

May 27, A Banquet, “The Final Friday” exclusive from Shudder and IFC Midnight, directed by Ruth Paxton, starring Sienna Guillory and Jessica Alexander. Widowed mother Holly (Guillory) is radically tested when her teenage daughter Betsey (Alexander) experiences a profound enlightenment and insists that her body is no longer her own, but in service to a higher power.
The exclusive film lineup joins an expansive array of original series coming to AMC+ this year, including the epic final season of The Walking Dead, the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul, returning favorites Kevin Can F**K Himself and Gangs of London and new series including 61st Street, Dark Winds, Moonhaven, Tales of the Walking Dead and, later this year, the first two series in an expanding Anne Rice Universe, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches.